Jen L.
Yelp
Every day, we pass by this non-descript restaurant located in a strip mall while picking up my son. We've noticed their white simple sign with black writing which is aesthetically pleasing but we've never paid much attention to the place. Recently we read about them in the Michelin guide and only then realized we were reading about the Gintei in our own little San Bruno. The building is tucked away in a strip mall and the door and windows are very non-descript. When pulling up front, I wasn't even sure I was at the right place. There are a few parking spots in front but parking was sparse in the area on a Sunday evening. We arrived late for 6pm reservations and were quickly greeted by friendly staff to let us know it would be a minute. The place was packed and we took the last available table. It was a very inviting place, very nicely decorated, charming and pleasant.
Once we were taken to a table, I asked for a Sprite before we even sat down. My son's sugars were dropping. Without hesitation or questions or comments, not even a face, the server quickly brought me the Sprite.
We perused their menu and decided to slowly order and try different things. Eventually we had the fish board brought to us so we could learn about the offerings for the evening. They had quite a large selection of fresh fish so it was difficult to decide. We ended up ordering a few dishes at a time to try and coursed out the evening and enjoyed it with a sake flight.
To start off, we had Grilled Beef Tongue, a Tataki, Kurobuta Kukuni, Nyumen, and Oyster Shooters. Then Amaebi, Camino Roll, and two kinds of raw Tokyo Fish. Everything was delicious. The broth in the Nyumen was really tasty and it came out hot. The sake flight I had was so yummy, I had a hard time deciding which sake I liked more. The best part of the meal was the service. Everyone was friendly and attentive. The manager (or maybe owner) spoke Cantonese and Japanese. She spoke to us in Cantonese and entertained my husband's attempts so that always makes me happy. They came by to pick up plates as soon as you were done.
We loved our meal. We will surely be back soon!